Meet the 18 designers taking part in Netflix’s Next In Fashion

Next in Fashion is Netflix’s first fashion competition show. It’s like Project Runway but it’s got Tan France and Alexa Chung, so already far better.

The 18 Next in Fashion designers from around the world compete for the chance to win $250,000 and release their collection on Net-a-Porter. The 10 45 minute episodes are all available to stream and if you don’t get watching now, what are you doing with your life?

The 18 designers taking part have already achieved incredible accomplishments in the fashion industry. Either winning design awards or dressing celebs like Rihanna and Beyoncé. No big deal.

The show is hoping to bring more diversity into the fashion industry. Netflix’s Vice President of unscripted originals and comedy, Brandon Reigg, said they were looking for designers who were credible in the fashion industry as well as interesting people with different back stories.

Reigg said: “It came to finding great characters with great story, and who are credible in the fashion space. And that was a big driver in terms of the casting.

“It just happened that we looked everywhere in looking for those qualities in the contestants and it allowed us to have more of a global group of contestants for this series in particular.”

And the Next in Fashion designers they picked definitely have character. From an American who was an army sergeant to an English guy who’s designed for Harry Styles these contestants are definitely going to create some amazing looks and a bit of drama.

Here are the 18 Next in Fashion designers:

Isaac Saqib

Isaac Saqib is a Pakistani American designer. He’s the founder and designer of the label Mercy x Mankind New York.

The label features elevated streetwear. In his latest collection ‘Haemobglobin’ Isaac creates pieces that appear to be blood stained and feature slogans like ‘a bullet for everyone’.

Isaac started his brand at just 20 years old and has never been to design school.

Isaac was originally training to be a doctor but dropped out to pursue fashion. He launched Mercy x Mankind in 2014 and it has been worn by Young Thug and Cameron Dallas.

Kiki Peterson

Kiki is from Brooklyn and she was the ghost designer for Rihanna and Jay-Z’s collections. Kiki also has her own luxury resort wear collection.

Her Instagram is full of pictures of her living life as well as featuring lots of her designs.

Ashton Michael

Ashton designs stage outfits for Lizzo, Beyonce and Ariana Grande, so he’s pretty much made it.

Ashton started his company in 2005 and the looks he’s created have been seen at the Grammy’s and the Super Bowl. His Instagram is full of pictures of the celebs he’s dressed.

Nasheli Ortiz-Gonsales

Nasheli has also dressed Beyoncé. She’s from Puerto Rico and is the Department Chair and Associate Professor of Fashion Design at Moore College of Art & Design.

Nasheli is a single mum and she’s presented collections around the world. One of her collections was also featured in Vogue and Forbes.

Marco Morante

Marco is already making serious waves in the fashion industry. In 2018 when showing his collection at New York Fashion Week he chose to use only trans models in the show.

Marco is a costume designer and he’s worked on Drag Race as well as dressing Britney Spears. And for 10 years he’s worked on a underwear label.

Julian Woodhouse

Julian is so cool, he used to be an army sergeant, as well as a model, like look at those cheek bones?

He’s now the CEO and creative director of his own brand Woodhouse Army. Julian said his husband, a fellow model, is his muse.

Hayley Scanlan

Hayley is from Scotland and she won Young Designer of the Year in 2012 and 2014.  She’s interned for Jeremy Scott and assited at iD magazine.

Hayley set up her own label in 2012 and has since had her designs worn by Little Mix and Jessie J. Hayley is a single mum of two boys and lives in Scotland.

Charles Lu

Charles Lu is originally from Canada but relocated to London when he was 18. He creates red carpet gowns and moved to Dubai three years ago to work as creative director for Arushi couture. Charles is now in the process of setting up his own design label.

His Instagram is also full of gym selfies and he clearly doesn’t forget leg day because his muscles are huge!

Narresh Kureja

Narresh is one half of the Indian resort wear brand Shivan & Narresh. The brand was set up in 2010 and since then they have been smashing it.

The brand has dressed Kim Kardashian and Dita Von Teese. They also worked on the film Life of Pi where they collaborated on a number of costumes. He was recognised in Forbes 30 under 30 list and gave a Ted Talk about reinventing luxury Indian Fashion.

Narresh’s Instagram is full of travel photos and is incredibly aesthetic.

Lorena Saravia Butcher

Lorena is a Mexican designer who got a fashion degree in Barcelona. She’s worked with G-star Raw and has had her own label since 2010.

She opened the first store for the brand in 2014 in Mexico City. Her brand is all about timeless elegance and designed for contemporary women.

Carli Pearson

Carli was a student at Central Saint Martins before going to work at Stella McCartney. She then moved on to working for Alexander Wang, Pucci and Alexander McQueen.

She launched her own brand Cimone in 2016 and had a look from one of her collections featured in the MET’s ‘Heavenly Bodies’ exhibition.

Daniel Fletcher

Daniel is one of the only English Next in Fashion designers. is from Chester and is a Central Saint Martins graduate. He’s gained experience at a lot of major brands such as Louis Vutitton, Victoria Beckham and Burberry.

He started his menswear brand in 2015 and has since dressed Harry Styles, Mark Ronson and Antoni from Queer Eye. Daniel was named as one of Drapers 30 under 30.

He’s also the menswear artistic director of Fiorucci, aka the brand you’re seeing all over ASOS and Urban Outfitters.

Claire Davis

Right first of all Claire is very cool. Her Instagram handle is ‘nothanksm8’ and her brand Hanger is such a vibe. Hanger is zero waste, sustainable  and focuses on latex designs. Claire was born in London to Japanese and Jamaican parents.

Claire is also a ‘cannabis educator’ and her Instagram is very aesthetic and I suggest you follow right now.

Adolfo Sanchez

Adolfo is a Mexican-American designer who lives in LA. Adolfo is all about the dresses, he makes gowns for red carpets and weddings.

He began his line in 2006, so he’s got a lot of experience. Adolfo’s design work has been featured in a number of magazines.

Angelo Cruciani

Angelo is Italian and has been obsessed with fashion since an early age. He won national art competitions as a child and studied at an Italian fashion school.

He’s the creative director of his own label Yezael which he began in 2014. Angelo also worked on creating Miss Sixty collections and was a creative director for a number of clothing manufactures in Shanghai.

Angelo’s Instagram is full of very posed pictures of him and the occasional red carpet pic at Venice Film Festival.

Farai Simoyi

Farai grew up in Zimbabwe but is now living in Brooklyn. She designed for Nicki Minaj’s collection and met fellow contestant Kiki there.

Farai now owns The Narativ which is a curated house of artisan brands. The Narativ sells very cool jackets and the pieces are way more affordable than the other contestants.

She’s also the curator of New York Now Fashion Runway. Her Instagram is full of pictures of her in very colourful outfits and cute selfies with her husband and son.

Angel Chen

Angel Chen is a China based designer and has created her own gender neutral line. She’s a Central Saint Martins graduate and her collection is already sold in Selfridges.

Angel has worked with Bella Hadid and Charli XCX. She was also included in Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30.

Her personal Instagram is full of selfies, food and pictures with friends.

Minju Kim

Minju is from South Korea and started her own label in 2014 with her sister who runs the business side of the brand.

She doesn’t appear to have a personal Instagram but the brand’s Instagram is full of designs and photoshoots where pieces have been featured like Elle Korea.

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